L'amore di una Madre
by DyslexicTrashWriter
Summary: Squalo's in a tight spot, and when he arrives at the Sawada household it's not the punny little boss he's expecting, but Nana.


It was late, really late and Namimori hospital wasn't an option if Squalo wanted to keep a low profile. He'd headed to the Vongola brats house, hoping to find the boss and his sun guardian. Instead, he ran into Nana.

" My, my, it's late for you boys to be out isn't it?" she asked appearing at the door in a modest dressing gown, politely covering a yawn.

"VOI IS THE VON—" Squalo pauses, realising he needs to keep a low profile right now with an injured Xanxus on his side. "Is the Vongola brat here?" he manages in a more controlled tone.

Nana looks at him confused for a moment, then notices Xanxus. "Oh dear, what happened here?" she asks sweetly as though they're two school kids caught rough housing. She gestures for them to come in. Squalo's not in a position to argue as he hauls Xanxus drunk beaten ass through the hallway and into a small bathroom at the top of the staircase.

The light is thrown on and it momentarily blinds him. "Ah did both of you get into a fight?" Nana sighs as Squalo looks down and realises he's not exactly in the best of states either. "It's fine, we just need that br-" again he cuts himself off, the woman is smiling at him, holding a small first aid box. Of all things he hadn't expected help from this woman. Iemitsu's wife, who he'd so frantically insisted be kept out of all mafia matters, the soft mother who'd raised the weak Vongola boss.

But help was help, and Squalo knew she could at least be trusted. Xanxus doesn't say much as Nana begins on his wounds. They're not serious, but the shitty boss had decided to drink before taking on an enemy family and it'd cost him a few stupid cuts. Nana closes the lid of the toilet and helps him rest Xaxnus on the improvised chair.

Xanxus bats Nana away at first, like a lion batting a fly, but she persists. Through his complaining and threats to break the bathroom cupboard if she pressed any harder with that _fucking_ antiseptic cloth, Nana held firm. A soft smile on her face as she cleaned and dressed his wounds. Her lack of reaction denying Xanxus the fuel he needed to turn the situation into anything dangerous.

Squalo looks around the bathroom, distracting himself from the scene. It's a small bathroom, the walls are in a good need of repainting, the shower curtain is bleached pale on one section where the sun shines in through the thin bathroom window and there's a tap that badly need fixing as it drips quietly in the background. The bin is filled with used cotton swabs and empty bottle of medicines, no doubt they weren't the first of the Vongolas associates to drop by on short notice.

By the time she's done, Xanxus has reluctantly quieted down and Squlao knows if he keeps his mouth shut there's a good chance this can go on without a hitch. He takes a deep breath as Nana gives Xanxus head a soft kiss. "All better." She smiles.

Squalo expects Xanxus to shout, to retaliate in some way, but he doesn't. Instead his eyes slide to the floor like a school boy embarrassed by his mothers affection.

Before Squalo can say anything Nana turns to him and picks up his arm.

"VOI DON'T JUST TOUCH ME LIKE THAT." He shouts

"DON'T GO SHOUTING AT HER SHITTY SHARK!" Xanxus scowls throwing his empty bottle at him.

"Now, now, boys please. Don't make more wounds for yourself, poor Squalos been through a lot already. Right Squalo-san?" she speaks gently towards him, giving him a supportive smile.

She remembers him. She remembers his name.

Squalo recalls the awkward lay over meal where he'd all but bombarded through the door with the entire Varia family _demanding_ someone prepare a meal for Xanxus who had eaten all the good meat on the way over.

Nana hadn't shouted back or complained, simply pulled in more chairs, set aside more rice and used every receptacle available for cups. Nana had the kind of strength Squalo always assumed was kept for mothers in movies, kindness, softness, a welcome smile for her children. Things Squalo never experienced for himself, things Squalo considered other people weak for wanting.

But he wanted this. He wanted someone to bandage him up, to kiss his head when they were done , to tell him it was going to be okay, something young and gentle in his heart calling out for her motherly affection.

Neither Xanxus or Squalo says anything as Nana continues her work. She speaks softly, never asking about anything too personal. She tells them they've been very silly to go out fighting on a night like tonight, and that they should be more careful. Again, Xanxus doesn't say anything, shifting slightly in his position on the porcelain lidded loo. Squalo refuses to wince as antiseptic is dabbed on his face, the small fills his nose and he has to hold his breath as Nanas caring face slides into view. She smells of blood mostly, and the cheap plastic of supermarket plasters. Underneath there the faintest hint of rice and lavender detergent. The smell stays with Squalo even as she moves back to tidy away her first aid supplies.

"Do you two have anywhere to stay tonight?" She asks, her hospitality knowing no limits. Despite the offer, Squalo knows better than to out stay his welcome. He examines Xanxus and concludes he's well enough to walk to the nearest base, albeit it with a large amount of complaining.

Squalo nods and makes to pick his boss up, hooking his arm under Xanxus's shoulder.

"Don't touch me shitty shark." Xanxus groans. The Varia boss standing on his own before walking over to the bathtub and sliding in.

"Voi! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Squalo shouts.

"I'm not moving." Xanxus states flatly, crossing his arms and turning his head in an expression Squalo knows all too well as the potential beginning of a tantrum.

Nana laughs it off, leaving and returning with some pillows and what looks like two well used blankets. "I'm sorry, we don't have any free beds and the sofas taken, but these should help until you feel better." Nana explains, sliding in pillows around the bath and laying a blanket over Xaxnus, who's face resembled a very spoiled cat as he's tucked in.

Nana offers Squalo the rest of the bedding, apologising for the sleeping set up. Squalo feels bad for imposing without warning and mumbles an apology as he finds it difficult to look Nana in the eye. She gained nothing from helping them, they had shown up unannounced and here she was apologising.

Once he'd settled on the floor, Nana gave them a soft, gentle smiled and turned off the light, a small _goodnight_ on her lips.

There's a long silence in the bathroom as Squalo waits -like all good right hand men should- for his boss to fall asleep.

"Shitty shark." Xanxus states quietly.

"What?" Squalo replies, irritated.

"If anything happens to that woman, I'll kill you." Xanxus warns.

Okay so this WAS supposed to go along with "A mothers love" but i felt this was a nice little story on it's own. The lack of mother (or straight up any stable parental figure) for people in KHR is horrific and these precious two clearly just need a caring mumma to patch them up and remind them it's not all teribble in the world. Nana is so amazing, i could gush about her for ages if you'd let me, she's so strong and gentle and smart and ahhhhh i just want more ana interactions with characters okay. She puts up with so much and looks after everyone.


End file.
